Shoe attachment



(No Model.)

H. W. SHEPHARD.

SHOEATTAOHMENT. No. 587,335. Patented Aug. 3,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HENRY W. SHEPHARD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SHOE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,335, dated August 3, 1897.

Application filed March 10, 1896. Serial No. 582,606. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. SHEPHAED, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, Kings county, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement Relating to Shoe Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is designed to aid in retaining the foot of a bicyclist upon the pedal when it rises. It also permits the rider to lift on the pedal with the upward motion of the foot. These ends are attained without the ordinary unsightly toe-clips, allowing the instant disconnecting of the foot by the ordinary rearward movement thereof,which movement for disconnecting becomes instinctive with bicycle practice.

My device includes a socket-piece attached firmly to the riders foot. It is fixed to the sole of the shoe or boot between the heel and the ball and so formed as to provide a shallow pocket between this plate and the sole proper having considerable extension front and rear, open at the front, and arranged to receive by a forward movement of the foot a short rigid tongue provided at the rear of the bicyclepedal. The said plate may be of a breadth a little less than the sole of the shoe and of such length that when its rear edge presses firmly against the front of the heel-lift of the shoe its front edge is just sufficiently in'rear of the ball of the foot to properly receive the tongue. The rider being assumed to mount in any ordinary method is certain to find the pedal in a certain position by reason of the superior gravity of the rear edge. Trial has demonstrated that it is easy to place the toe on the pedal as thus presented and give it a partial roll forward and then by sliding the foot forward on the pedal to engage the tongue strongly in the pocket of the plate.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan view from below. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of a portion. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a portion on the line t at in Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views from below, showing modifications of certain portions.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they appear.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4., A is one of the crank-pins or pedal-shafts of a bicycle, and B a rat-trap pedal mounted thereon and adapted to receive the pressure of the foot in the descent and impel the machine. So far as yet described the parts are of the ordinary and long-approved construction.

D is the tongue, sufficiently thick to afford the requisite strength and stiffness, and D" is an extension downward therefrom by which it is firmly bolted to the rear face of the pedal. E is a bolt, and F a nut by which this tonguepiece is thus stiffly and it may, if desired, be permanently secured to the pedal.

G is the shoe of the wearer, and G a fairly stout and substantial sole, presenting a sufficiently thick and firm edge to allow it to be strongly seized by clamps.

G is the heel-lift, which may be shallow, as is generally considered preferable for bicycle-shoes.

M is a plate of 'steel or other strong metal designed to be secured between the heel and ball of the wearers foot, said plate having its front edge retreating rearward at the midwidth and the adjacent portion sufficiently depressed below the main body to provide a pocket m between this portion of the plate and the sole of the shoe. The rear edge of this plate M is adapted to press firmly against and to sink a little into the front edge of the heel-lift G A hole m is punched or otherwise produced through the plate at or near the rear end of the pocket m, which facilitates the discharge of any dirt which may chance to be received whenthe wearer walks without removing these attachments.

' P are clamps arranged to be forcibly drawn together in transverse ways in the plate M and each adapted by a properly-formed upright arm P to engage strongly with the sole G. The inner end of each clamp extends downward and is tapped to receive the proper corresponding portion of a right-andleft screw R, which is adapted to be strongly turned by a proper key (not shown) fitting on either squared end.

U U are rivets firmly set in corresponding holes in the plate M and extending through the sole G to give a still more reliable fastening of the plate M to the shoe, so that it shall constitute a unit therewith.

In mounting the bicycle the rider is certain to find the rear edge of each pedal down, the pedal being held in that position by the gravity of the tongue. A movement easily acquired turns the pedal a quarter-revolution and receives the tongue D deeply and strongly in the shallow horizontal pocket on. Now he proceeds in all respects as with the ordinary toe-clip, holding the foot with the toe alittle elevated when he has occasion to lift on the pedal, as in climbing a hill or in pulling through deep sand. In dismounting, either rapidly or leisurely, he inclines the foot with the toe downward, and the lifting motion liberates the engagement.

The invention affords marked advantages over any of the ordinary forms of engagement by toe-clips, being less eumbrous in appearance and more firm and reliable in service. The lifting force of the foot, instead of being concentrated on a wire or other de' vice pressing on the toes, is applied through the whole of the front portion of the shoe. There is none of the springing and yielding due to the ordinary clip. It is lighter and is much less conspicuous than the ordinary arrangements. It is less liable to involve dangerous complications in case of collisions, falls, or other accidents.

It will be noted that the form of strong plate M is such that it can be readily secured to the under surface of the shoe-sole at a point intermediate of the heel and ball portion thereof. Such location, while prmitt-in g the socket m on the plate to perform its complete function of receiving the tongue and holding the same strongly to the foot, will make no interference with the ordinary walking movements of the wearer, because it lies entirely above the line joining the ball of the foot wit-h the heel.

By providing the pedal with the rearwardly-extending tongue of the rigid character described the mere entrance of the same within the socket m of the plate M will be sufficient to effect a satisfactory engagement and allow the pedal to be lifted as well as depressed by the strength of the rider without preventing its immediate detachment by a rearward movement of the foot when required in any emergency. The interior of the socket m is so rounded that when the foot is in normal working position the tongue will properly bear within the socket, but the turning of the foot laterally will have the effect of working the tongue out of engagement.

The special contour of the plate M, and particular location of the same on the foot, in-

sures a socket having a forward dip,as shown in Fig. 1, permitting the ready and certain engagement of the tongue D when desired.

The rearwardly-extending tongue D, carried on the pedal, should be short, but it is important that it be given a sufficient length, and that the socket be of sufficient length to allow it to act somewhat leverwise when the strength of the rider is applied to lift as well as depress on the pedal, as is frequently required in emergencies, as in traversing through sand or mounting steep places, or more particularly where both these conditions come together. The pedal turning on an axis under the ball of the foot and the tongue engaging in a socket not directly over it, but farther rearward, it follows that the lifting force of the foot applied through the socket will tend to revolve the pedal on its axis, allowing the tongue to extend upward and to be thrown out of engagement. The length of the socket forward and backward engaging a corresponding length of the tongue allows that tendency to be resisted. The rider by depressing his heel and raising the toe re tains the tongue reliably and allows it to be operated on leverwise and to exert a powerful lifting force on the pedal.

Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. Parts of the invention can be used without the whole. I can omit the rivets and depend on the clamps alone. Fig. 5 shows such an arrangement. I can omit the clamps and depend on the rivets alone. Fig. 6 shows such a construction.

I claim as my invention- 1. The witl'iin-described shoe-plate for bicyclists use, the same being shaped to match the wearers sole between the heel and ball of the foot and presenting the forwardly-opening socket at having sufficient length to act leverwise on the tongue received, together with suitable fastening means for securing such plate to a shoe, all substantially as herein specified.

2. In a pedaling attaehment for bicyclists the combination with the plate M, having the long socket m and adapted for attachment to the shoe between the heel and ball of the foot, and provided with screw-clamps P, P, of a bicycle-pedal 13, having a rigid tongue extending rearward and adapted to engage the plate, substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY W. SIIEIIIARD.

Witnesses:

J. B. CLAUTIon, M. F. BOYLE.

IIS 

